To enjoy food at its best, be sure to read the label

Tuesday

Jun 23, 2009 at 12:01 AMJun 23, 2009 at 10:20 PM

Dates and codes on fresh, canned and packaged goods can be confusing to figure out, but there are ways to detect whether that can of green beans or carton of milk has been in the cupboard or refrigerator too long.

Pens runs out of ink. Flowers wilt. Computer screens go dark.

Too bad it’s not as easy to tell when the food in your kitchen is about to expire.

Dates and codes on fresh, canned and packaged goods can be confusing to figure out, but there are ways to detect whether that can of green beans or carton of milk has been in the cupboard or refrigerator too long.

“Freshness dating lets consumers know whether the foods are of good quality,” said Roberta Duyff, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Canned Food Alliance.

Except for infant formula and some baby food, product dating of food products is not required by the federal government. But many manufacturers do put dates on their products to indicate freshness. “Open dates,” or calendar dates, include the:

- Sell-by date. This tells the store how long to display the product for sale. Buy it before this date expires.

- Best-if-used-by date. This date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

- Use-by date. This is the last date recommended for use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.

“These are for quality. They’re not safety dates,” said Tina Hanes of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline. “They are meant as a guideline, not as a hard and fast rule. If you suspect something is wrong, throw it out.”

Open dates are found on perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products, but also may be stamped on processed foods as well.

There also are “closed dates” or codes, often found on canned and boxed foods. The alphanumeric sequences indicate production dates, manufacturing plants and tracking information needed in case of a recall.

“Canned products are a little different than perishable foods. As long as the seal is intact and the can is not leaking or bulging, the food is safe to eat,” said Duyff. The Canned Food Alliance — a consortium of steelmakers, can makers and food processors — recommends that consumers use up canned goods within two years for best quality, but says safety won’t be compromised if a can in good condition is older than that.

The federal Food Service and Inspection Service has a more restrictive view about the shelf life of canned goods. It recommends high-acid canned foods such as tomatoes, grapefruit and pineapple be stored on home shelves for 12 to 18 months. Canned, low-acid foods such as meat, poultry, fish and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years if properly stored, it says.

“If there is a question about the can, consumers should contact the manufacturer and mention the number on the can,” Duyff added. Many products contain a toll-free telephone number or Web site address on the label.

Packaged and canned foods should be kept in a dry place, at moderate temperatures (75 degrees or below).

“We suggest that the newest product be put in the back of the cabinet and the oldest in front, so they’re used first. You want to keep cans for rainy day, but don’t keep them there forever,” said Duyff. She suggested marking the purchase date on cans with a marker.

Infant formula and baby food under inspection by the Food and Drug Administration must contain the nutrients listed on the label. Both are dated for quality and nutrient retention. If formula is stored too long, it can separate and clog the nipple on the bottle. Do not buy or use formula or baby food after the use-by date.

Although not federally required, many states have laws that require freshness dates on eggs.

According to the Illinois Egg and Egg Products Act, egg cartons or cases must contain the packing or candling date expressed in Julian code (Dec. 31 = 365, the 365th day of the calendar year).

They also must carry an expiration or sell-by date. For Grade AA eggs, the month-and-day sell-by date is up to 15 days after the packing date. For all other grades, the date is up to 30 days after the time the eggs were packed.

Despite the dates, Hanes said refrigerated eggs purchased before the expiration date can be used for three to five weeks after purchase.

But if perishable foods such as lunchmeat, ham, bacon, beef and poultry can’t be eaten within a few days of those dates, the FSIS recommends freezing it. Once frozen, the freshness date on the package can be ignored because it will keep indefinitely.

“Freezing preserves the food at the state in which it was frozen,” Hanes said.

Kathryn Rem can be reached at 788-1520.

Deciphering can and package codes

Each food manufacturer has a unique coding system for tracking products, an alphanumeric hodgepodge usually imprinted on the top or bottom of the can, box or bag.

Some companies list day, month and year of production, while others reference only the year.

Months are indicated by numbers or letters. Numbers 1 through 9 represent January through September, and letter O is October, N is November and D is December. If letters are used, A equals January and L equals December.

Years are indicated by the last digit. For example: 0 is 2000, 5 is 2005, 9 is 2009.
Each company has a different way of coding. Pillsbury/Green Giant and Progresso have a five-digit code. Position 1 = month (letter). Position 2 = year. Position 3 = plant information. Position 4 and 5 = day. Example: G8A08 = July 8, 2008.

Sometimes the date is expressed in Julian code, the sequential number of the date in the year. Jan. 1 would be “1” and Feb. 1 would be “32,” the 32nd day of the year. Thus, can code 0195 indicates July 14, 2000 (0 is the year, 195 says July 14 is the 195th day of the year).

Another way to learn about closed codes is to go to a manufacturer’s Web site. Freshness information often is given in the FAQ (frequently asked questions) section. (Example: for Act II popcorn, go to www.actii.com/company/faqs.jsp and for Duncan Hines cake mixes, see www.duncanhines.com/newDuncan/pub/faq.)

Still confused? If there’s a toll-free telephone number on the package, call it.

Source: Canned Food Alliance and University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension

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